Fluid agitation type heater



July 11, 1961 c. D. FRENCH FLUID AGITATION TYPE HEATER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1959 Carl 0. French IN VEN TOR BY Q4...

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July 11, 1961 c. D. FRENCH FLUID AGITATION TYPE HEATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Feb. l7, 1959 Carl 0. French 1N VE NY? 1' I1 9 BY @450 m /I I I July 11, 1961 c. D. FRENCH 2,991,764

FLUID AGITATION TYPE HEATER Filed Feb. 17, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet '3 Carl D. F ranch 1N VENTOR,

U i d t s at Q i e 2,991,764 FLUID AGITATION TYPE 'I-EWATER Carl D. French, Tiflin, Ohio. (3070 W. 159th St., Cleveland, Ohio), assignor of one-fourth to Gary N. French, Alvada, Ohio, and one-fourth to Eugene Sarkan, T iifin, Ohio Filed Feb. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 793,800

3 Claims. (Cl. 122-26) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in heater construction, and more specifical- 1y to an improved heater of the fluid agitation type.

It is well-known that if a fluid is agitated within a confined area the resistance to movement of the fluid results in the production of heat. It is upon this theory that the present invention is based. It is the primary object of this invention to provide a heater for commercial and residential spaces and the like as well as vehicles, which heater requires no heating element as such, and is driven by means of a conventional type of drive unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a heater of the fluid agitation type, the heater including a housing having extending therethrough a shaft, and being mounted within the housing an agitator for fluid, the agitator being so connected to the shaft whereby relative movement between the agitator and the housing results so that fluid confined within the housing is heated and simultaneously pumped through a heating coil connected to the housing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid heater which includes a fixed crankshaft, a rotating housing in the form of a flywheel rotatably journaled on the crankshaft, a fluid agitator in the form of a piston positioned within the housing and means connecting a fluid agitator to the crankshaft whereby as the housing rotates, the fluid agitator is moved relative to th'ehousing :to effect the agitation and thus heating of the fluid within athe housing. j

A further object of this invention is to provide a fluid heater of the agitation type, the fluid heater including a -fixed crankshaft on which there is rotatably journalled a housing, there being mounted within the housing for guided reciprocatory movement a piston like fluid agistator, the fluid agitator having a central opening therethrough through which passes the crankshaft, a connecting rod connecting the fluid agitator to the crankshaft whereby as the housing rotates about the crankshaft, the fluid agitator is reciprocated, the crankshaft having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet disposed within the housing with the crankshaft having fluid passages connected to the fluid inlet and fluid outlet and to a heating coil whereby as the fluid within the housing is heated due to agitation, it is also pumped through a heating coil to provide the desired heating effect.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the fluid heater which is the subject of this invention and shows the general details thereof, one of the heating coils being omitted;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken through the center of the heating unit of the fluid heater of FIGURE 1 and shows the specific details construction thereof; 4

p, 2,991,764 Patented July 11,1961

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and shows the general relationship between the fluid agitator, the housing and the crankshaft; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and shows further the relationship between the fluid agitator, the housing, the crankshaft and a connecting rod which extends between the fluid agitator and the crankshaft.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 the fluid heater which is the subject of this invention, the fluid heater being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The fluid heater 10 includes a heating unit 12 which is driven by means of a drive belt 14. The heating unit 12 has extending from opposite ends thereof fluid lines which are arranged in pairs and which include fluid lines 16, 18, 20 and 22. The fluid lines '16 and 18 are connected to opposite ends of the heating coil 24. The remote ends of the fluid lines 20 and 22 are not illustrated, but will be connected to a heating coil (not shown) similar to the heating coil 24.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 in particular, it will be seen that the heating unit 12 is mounted on a suitable base 26 and includes a pair of longitudinally spaced L-shaped support brackets 28 and 30. The L-shaped support bracket 28 includes a vertical leg 32 and a horizontal leg 34, the horizontal leg 34 being secured to the base 26 by means of a bolt 36. The upper part of the vertical leg 32 has a horizontal bore 38 therethrough.

The support bracket 30 includes a vertical leg 40 and a horizontal leg 42, the horizontal leg 42 being secured to the base 26 by means of a bolt 44. The upper part of the vertical leg 40 has a horizontal bore 46 therethrough, the horizontal bore 46 being aligned with the bore 38 of the mounting bracket 28. v

The heating unit 12 includes a fixed crankshaft which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 48. The crankshaft 48 includes a pair of aligned end portions 50 and 52 which extend through the bores 38'and 46, respectively. The end portion 50 is clamped in the bore 38 of the mounting bracket 28 by means of a. setscrew 54 which projects from the upper end of the vertical leg of the mounting bracket 28. A similar setscrew 56 extends from the upper end of the vertical leg 40 of the mounting bracket 30 and serves to secure the end portion 52 of the crankshaft 48 in the bore 46.

The crankshaft 48 includes a pair of throws 58 and 60 which are disposed 180 apart. The throw 58 is supported by a pair of webs 62 and 64 whereas the throw 60 is supported by a pair of webs 66 and 68. The webs 62 and 66 are connected to the inner ends of the end portions 50 and 52, respectively. The throws 64 and 68 are secured to each other. At this time, it is pointed out that the crankshaft 48 may either be of an integral construction or a sectional construction, as is desired.

Surrounding the central portion of the crankshaft 48 is a housing which is referred to in general by the refence numeral 70, and which may be considered a rotating flywheel. The housing 70 is made up of a pair of end portions 72 and 74 and a central web 76. The end portion 72 includes an end plate 78 which has formed integrally therewith a cylindrical body portion 80. Extending in the opposite direction from the body portion 80 and formed integral with the end plate 78 is a 'hub 82 which is of a suitable construction and has formed in the exterior surface thereof a circumferentially extending drive belt groove 84 so that the hub 82 also functions as a pulley.

The end portion 74 of the housing 70 is identical to the end portion 72 and includes an end plate 86 which has formed integral therewith a cylindrical body portion 88. Projecting in the opposite direction from the end plate 86 is an enlarged hub 90 which has formed in the exterior surface thereof an annular drive belt groove 92 so that the hub 90 also functions as a pulley.

The central web 76 has a reduced outer portion 94 which is annular. The reduced outer portion 94 is clamped between the cylindrical body portions 80 and 88 by means of a plurality of bolts 96 which extend through the body portions 80 and 88 and the web 76. Thus the sectional housing 70 is secured together.

The end portion 72 has mounted in the hub 82 thereof a sleeve bearing 98. A similar sleeve bearing 100 is mounted in the hub 90 of the end portion 74. The sleeve bearings 98 and 100 receive the end portions 50 and 52, respectively, of the crankshaft 48. Thus the housing 70 is rotatably journalled on the crankshaft 48. Mounted in the end of the hub 82 is a seal 102 which engages the end portion 50 so as to prevent the escape of fluid from within the housing 70. A similar seal 104 is carried by the hub 90 and engaged with theend portion 52.

By providing the housing 70 with a central web 76, the interior of the housing is divided into two compartments 106 and 108. Mounted in the compartment 106 is an agitator in the form of a piston, the agitator being referred to by the reference numeral 110. As is best shown in FIGURE 3, the agitator 110 is generally rectangular in outline although it does have rounded end portions 112 conforming to the outline of the interior ofthe housing 70. The agitator 110 is mounted for guided reciprocatory movement within the housing 70 by means of a pair of guide bars 114 which engage opposite sides of the agitator 110, the guide bars114 being secured to the end plate 78 by means of fasteners 116.

The ag'tator 110 has a central opening 118 through which the crankshaft 48 passes. The'agitator 110 also includes a recess 120 which opens into the central opening 118. Extending transversely of the recess 120 is a connecting pin 122 on which there is pivotally mounted a connecting rod 124. The opposite end of the connecting rod 124 is journalled on the throw 58. Thus as the housing 70 is rotated, the fluid agitator 110 is reciprocated within the housing 70 through the action of the crankshaft 48 and the connecting rod 124. The fluid within the compartment 106 is heated due to the agitation thereof by the movement of the 'fluid agitator 110. This heated fluid is then pumpedto the heating coil 24 so that the heating coil 24 may produce the desired heat.

In order that the heated fluid may be pumped to the heating coil 24, the end portion 50 is provided with a pair of fluid passages 126 and 128. The fluid lines 18 and 16, respectively, are connected to the fluid passages 126 and 128. The fluid passage 128 opens into the compartment 106 through the web 62. On the other hand, the. webs 62 and 64 are provided with radial fluid passages 130 and 132 in communication with the passage 126,- to which radial passages there are connected scoops 134 and136, respectively, which extend into the opening 118in the agitator 110. Incidentally, it is pointed out that the'inner part of the agitator 110 is provided with recesses 138 to provide clearance for the scoops 134 and 136.

Mounted within the compartment 108 is a fluid agitator 140 which is identical to fluid agitator 110. The fluid agitator 140 has a central opening 142 through which the crankshaft 48 also passes. The fluid agitator 140 is provided with a connecting pin 144 on which there is pivotally mounted a connecting rod 146. The connecting rod 146 is in turn journalledon-the throw 60between thewebs principles of the invention.

66 and 68. The fluid agitator 140 has the same configuration as the fluid agitator and is mounted for reciprocatory movement between a pair of guide bars 148 which are secured to the end plate 86.

The end portion 52 of the crankshaft 48 is provided with a pair of fluid passages 150 and 152 to which there are connected the fluid lines 20 and 22, respectively. The fluid passage 152 opens into the compartment 108 through the web 66. On the other hand, communicating with the fluid passage 150 and extending radially through the webs 66 and 68 are fluid passages 154 and 156. The fluid passages 154 and .156 have connected thereto scoops 158 which open into the compartment 108 and through which heated fluid is forcedduring the rotation of the housing 70.

The clearance between the agitators 110, and their guides 114 and 148, respectively, is sufficiently small so that when the device is in operation and the agitators are reciprocated, the fluid in the compartments 106, 108 is subjected to compression alternately at the opposite ends of the reciprocating strokes of the agitators while such fluid is forced between the agitators and their guides from one end of each stroke to the other. This compression of the fluid results in the generation of heat within the fluid, and as the housing 70 is rotated, the scoops 134, 136 and 158 on the fixed crankshaft 48 pick up the heated fluid and deliver the same through the passages 130, 132, 126 and 154, 156, to the heating coils 24 where the heat is dissipated and cooled fluid returns through the passages 128 and 152 into the respective compartments '106, 108. If desired, the fluid may be in thenature of oil which, apart from its primary function as heating medium, will also serve to lubricate the moving parts within the housing.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstruction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fluid heater comprising in combination a housing having a piston chamber therein, said chamber being sealed at-both ends, a shaft extending through said housing and having a crank disposed in said chamber, said housing and said shaft being relatively rotatable, a doubleended piston reciprocable in said chamber and operatively connected to the crank of said shaft, a fluid provided in said chamber and movable past said piston from one end of the piston to the other when the piston is reciprocated, said piston fitting said chamber with limited clearance whereby said fluid is forced between the walls of the chamber and the piston and subjected to compression and heating at each end of the piston stroke, a heating coil disposed exteriorly of said housing, means for delivering heated fluid from said chamber to said heating coil and for returning cooled fluid from the coil to the chamber, and means for producing relative rotation between the housing and said shaft, said means for delivering .heated fluid and returning cooled fluid comprising aheated fluid pick-up scoop mounted on said shaft in said chamber and adapted to receive the heated fluid forced between the chamber walls and said piston, said shaft being provided with a heated fluid passage communicating with said scoop and said coil and also being provided with a cooled fluid passage communicating said coil with said chamber.

5 6 rod being d'ispased in said opening and pivotally con- 1,975,440 Waii et a1. Oct. 2, 1934 nected to said piston. 2,226,423 Blake Dec. 24, 1940 References Cited in the file of this patent 2748'899 Booth et a1 June 1956 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 5 11,272,931 Ethefldge July 1 1 13 1201245 Great Britain 1918 

